Editors WA welcomes a new branch president
From Editors WA
On 13 September 2026, Editors WA welcomed a new president, Cheyenne Valero. 
Cheyenne has a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing and Japanese. She is the current chairperson for Pulch Mag and a board member for KSP Writers Centre. Cheyenne has previously led the editorial teams for Pulch Mag as head editor, Curtin Writers Club as editor-in-chief and Grok Magazine as a contributing editor.
Cheyenne was recently an editor for Licorice Magazine and currently works as an editor for primary education publisher, RIC Publications.
Cheyenne has plenty of experience working with young writers, illustrators and photographers in Western Australia and is passionate about giving emerging writers, artists and editors professional experience within the publishing space.
The EdWA committee looks forward to having Cheyenne on board to support and lead future events and initiatives at IPEd.
A message from Cheyenne
Hi everyone!
My name is Cheyenne, and I’m an in-house editor for primary school publisher, RIC Publications. In the workplace, I collaborate with authors, graphic designers and typesetters to edit educational resources for educators and primary school students on a global scale.
I’m a Curtin University graduate with a BA in creative writing and Japanese. While I didn’t exactly study editing or publishing, my love for this field began while I was still studying at university.
In 2021, I started editing for Curtin Writers Club’s annual anthology, Coze Journal, and was fortunate to be elected as the editor-in-chief from 2023 to 2025. In this role, I lead the club’s editorial team and oversaw the production of 2 issues. I was also a contributing editor for Grok Magazine from 2022 to mid-2023, where I interviewed university students and staff, wrote weekly articles and oversaw the production of a bi-annual issue of Grok.
In 2023, I became the head editor for Pulch Mag, a youth magazine for West Australians. In this role, I led the editorial team and worked closely with emerging authors, illustrators and photographers, overseeing the production of 2 issues of Pulch. I am now the chairperson for Pulch Mag and am responsible for leading the committee, making executive decisions and supporting the publication’s initiatives.
This year, I was fortunate to have been part of the editorial team for Licorice Magazine, a Boorloo-based publication supporting local authors, artists and small businesses. In addition, I was recently elected as a board member for KSP Writers Centre. I’ve had my articles, prose and poetry published in various magazines, journals and zines, and I enjoy reading, writing and playing video games in my spare time.
My gratitude goes out to the EdWA committee for seeing value in my editorial experience, as well as my passion for giving emerging authors, artists and editors opportunities to enter the publishing space. It is such an honour to be elected to this role and I’m extremely appreciative of all the hard work that former acting president, Josephine Smith AE, has contributed to EdWA.
Please feel free to reach out to me anytime at edwa.president@iped-editors.org.
I look forward to working with everyone here at IPEd and supporting such an incredible community of editors.
Thank you, and warmest wishes!
Event report: A tale of two publishing houses
On 29 September 2026, Editors WA had the pleasure of hosting Linda Martin as she shared with IPEd the inside story of her memoir, A tale of two publishing houses, in which she reflected on the early days of Fremantle Press and UWA Publishing. Her experience in the publishing field, as well as her passion for books and flash fiction, would later encourage her to establish Night Parrot Press with co-founder Laura Keenan in 2019.
Linda’s presentation took us through the fascinating history of Western Australia’s publishing scene. She delved into heartfelt conversations held with her colleagues over the years and described how the publishing industry has evolved since the 1970s. While sharing excerpts from her book, Linda spoke about the highs and lows of starting and maintaining a small publishing house, from the excitement of brainstorming names and finding their niche, to discovering how to navigate a working relationship with a close friend.
We also took the time to celebrate Mabel Gibson’s CryBaby, a debut collection of micro memoirs recently published by Night Parrot Press. Linda expressed how proud she was of Mabel winning Book of the Year and Emerging Writer of the Year at the 2026 Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards. Linda noted the importance of providing opportunities and ongoing support for emerging writers. She was herself a judge for the Dorothy Hewitt Award in 2026.
We appreciate Linda for sharing her insight on the local publishing scene and look forward to seeing what’s next in store for her and Night Parrot Press.